New Stage of Life
by no1needs2no
Summary: Haruhi hadn't contacted the others for six years now. Life hasn't been the same, but she has other responsibilities now. She can't just leave them. Besides, she was going to communicate with the rich boys again eventually. Haruhi had made good plans. Unfortunately, she didn't expect them finding her before she was ready. PREVIOUSLY: HOSTS ONCE MORE!


_**I don't own Ouran High School Host Club manga, anime, and other related items.**__**  
ORIGINAL NAME: HOSTS CLUB  
THIS STORY HAS EXPERIENCE EDITING. (REASONS: INTEREST WANED AND NOTICED THAT THE STORY WAS GETTING OUT OF CONTROL.)**_**  
****Big help, if anyone can correct any mistakes.**

* * *

_ Haruhi,_

_ It has been many years, since we, the founding members of the Ouran High School Host Club, have graduated from the halls of our Alma material. I have written this letter, to inform you that on the 16__th__ of June, you will be picked up by a limo at exactly 5:45 P.M. If you believe that we won't find you, do not fear, we will. To clarify the 'we,' please understand that I mean Hikaru, Kaoru, Kyoya, Mori, Honey, and me, Tamaki. I hope we can talk more on that fated day. If you have a prior engagement that you must do first, please reply soon._

_ From the king, _

_ Suoh, Tamaki_

"Rich bastards," A shoulder length dark-haired woman muttered.

The woman scolded herself for not checking her mail until the 16th, two weeks since her last mail check. She turned to look at her clock, which just happened to turn 5:45 P.M. A ding came from her front door. The woman stared at it for a moment and proceeded to walk into her room, which was next door to the front door. Behind her curtains, she peeked through the window and glimpsed two figures standing in front of her door.

There were two identical red-haired males outside her front door. They were both taller than her, and wore matching black suits with a lilac on their chest pocket. Both had short hair in the front but in the back was long red hair that tied into a low pony tail, which draped over one side of their shoulders. One turned around to make a call, while his partner pushed the doorbell again. Haruhi felt her eyes widen at the sight of _Hitachiin, Kaoru. _Kaoru happened to glance at the window at the same time.

For a moment, Haruhi felt as though her heart stopped and her breath caught. Kaoru was more…intense than she remembered. It only took him a second to realize that someone was watching him and his brother. Kaoru slowly hanged up and put back his phone. He muttered something quietly, and the person next to him stiffened. Before he could see her, Haruhi let the curtain fall back into place and rushed out of the room. She sprinted across her room to pound on a yellow door. Haruhi bit her lip to prevent herself from screaming in frustration. She did not want to face them.

Finally, the music on the other side of the room lowered. Once the door opened, Haruhi pushed past her roommate, and skidded to a stop before she could trip over the half-naked mannequin in the center of the room.

"Watch it!" _Yasumura, Mei_ yelled. The tall, strong willed woman kicked the door shut, before pulling Haruhi away from her creation. She glared at Haruhi. "What do you want? I have a show to do, Haruhi, so unless it's the end of the world—."

Haruhi glared back as she interrupted. "The twins and the rest of the Host Club want a reunion."

"Why didn't you say so?" Mei snorted. "I'll make your dress, do your make-up, and start planning your wedding."

"_I'm serious._"

Mei scoffed, turned, and flung open her door. "I don't see anyone, Haruhi. Seriously, get in bed and take a nap. You've been doing too much work. I'll handle dinner."

Haruhi stubbornly set her jaw, crossed her arms, and set herself on Mei's green couch. Mei placed her hands on her hips and glared. To their surprise, they heard a loud thud. Mei frowned and glanced through the doorway. Blinking, Mei could hardly believe what she was seeing. Before the intruders could see her, Mei quickly closed her door. Turning to face Haruhi, she rested her back against the door.

"Okay…" Mei started slowly. "What are we going to do?"

"What can we do?" muttered Haruhi. In a louder voice, she said. "I don't know why they want to see me."

"I can think of three reasons." Commented Mei dryly.

"So would I, if I knew that they knew them," retorted Haruhi. "In any case, we need a plan. They won't be back until next month because of camp, but we have two devils on the other side of the door right now."

"…I think I have an idea."

"You're looking at the window and your bed covers. I think I know what you plan on doing."

"Correction: _You're_ going to do it. I'm going to stay here, work on my collection, and distract the twins. As soon as you contact me, I'll send the triplets to you."

"Good thing I had them memorized my phone number and their godmother's phone number."

* * *

"Hey Hikaru, do you hear something?"

"Right now, I'm trying to put this door back up."

"You kicked it."

"No, _we_ kicked it."

"And it was a magnificent kick."

"I know."

"I know that you know."

"I know that you know that I know. Anyway, help me with the damn door."

Kaoru sighed and helped Hikaru set the door in place. Once they determined that it was able to stand without their support, they looked around the apartment.

"We haven't seen Haruhi in years. I thought she would have bought a bigger place with her paycheck."

"I'm more shocked by the fact that Kyoya found little information about her."

Kaoru and Hikaru walked down the narrow walls decorated with photographs of nature. Compared to their standards, the apartment was well within their money range. They noticed that there were three bedrooms and the kitchen combined with a large space that most likely acted as the living room and a dining room. The brothers and their friends were very interested to know why Haruhi's apartment had three bedrooms.

Hearing music down a hall, the twins followed the trail of sound and came upon a yellow door. Hikaru knocked on the door. They listened carefully and Kaoru could faintly hear noise. A large crash startled him; Hikaru forcibly removed the door from its original position and Kaoru absentmindedly made a note to hire Haruhi a good carpenter for better doors.

Kaoru blinked, surprised by the sight before his eyes.

"Mei?" said Hikaru.

The tanned make-up adorned face of one of their high school friends were focused on the mannequin in the room. Her hands were fiddling with the hem of the skirt. Kaoru would have felt bad interrupting her, if he didn't notice that he hands weren't holding a needle or scissors.

Hikaru couldn't help but wonder. "What are you doing here?"

Kaoru asked. "Where's Haruhi?"

"Work," mumbled Mei as she tucked a stray lock of blonde hair behind her ear.

"Then who was the person peeking at the window?" questioned Hikaru.

Mei said nothing, but Kaoru's eyes caught the photographs on the walls. Some were of Mei and models. Others had Mei at parties. There was one picture with her arm around a petite dark-haired woman with somber, serious eyes that seemed to gaze into the depths of your soul…

"You're roommates with Haruhi," realization dawned on Hikaru's face at Kaoru's statement. Kaoru, himself, felt like slapping his forehead.

"Then the crash—"

Hikaru blanched and looked at his twin, who had come to the same conclusion. They turned as one to look at Mei, who flinched at the accusation on their faces.

"Where's Haruhi?"

* * *

Haruhi limped her way out of the cab and started for the stairs. Hopefully, the driver had not accepted her money because of her current state of health. If a stranger took pity on her, then she grimaced to discover her friends' reactions. She was currently going to meet with her father, who would hopefully be at her old home if not with Mei's father. She breathed in and out slowly as she notified her father of her presence. She tried to smile at him once she saw his tired bedraggled state, but his jaw dropped and his eyes widen. The sleep in his eyes disappeared faster than she could blink.

_Fujioka, __Ryoji_ also known as Ranka, ushered his daughter into the house and ignored her pleas that she was perfectly fine and absolutely capable of bandaging herself. Then, he made her rest in his still warm futon, while he made some tea. Haruhi silently looked around the room and felt her heart seize in a tight grip as she looked back on her childhood years.

After her father came back, Haruhi decided to be blunt. She took a sip of her tea, waited for her father to drink his tea and put it down, and opened her mouth.

"The ex-host club members from Ouran High School want to meet with me today."

Her father's smile froze and she could tell that had rendered him absolutely speechless.

Cautiously, Haruhi continued. "Do you think I should talk to them now, or wait for the —"

The door slammed opened and Mei's father _Sonoda, Isao "Misuzu"_ burst into the room in a yellow and white filly gown. He was hopping on the balls of his feet and his hands were clenched tight together as his body practically vibrated with excitement.

"Outside," Isao gasped, "Mercedes~"

Ryoji quickly caught Misuzu before his friend could fall flat on his face. He looked backed and saw his daughter moving towards the door. To his surprise, the door opened from the other side and two pairs of arms quickly seized his daughter and pulled her out of the room. Hastily, lowering Misuzu on the flower a little harder than he normally would have, Ryoji leaped to his feet and dashed outside.

"Wait, stop! Haruhi!"

* * *

She felt herself being tossed onto something soft and felt the vehicle move after a masculine arm reached over her waist to buckle her with a seatbelt. Kaoru's arm over her shoulder felt like a chain tying her down as she watched them move farther and farther away from her childhood home.

"So, what was the chase for Haru?" Hikaru kept his eyes on the road as he let his brother talked.

"Why are you here?"

"His Majesty, the king of idiots, our milord wanted to have a reunion. It's being held at his house in Japan; today, in fact."

Hikaru said. "You can imagine everyone's surprise, when we arrived and found him curled up in his bed. After the Shadow King managed to make him coherent enough to speak, we found out that you hadn't communicated once within the past two weeks after he sent the invite."

"Naturally, we had to find you."

"But you seem to have grown very…private in the past years."

"Mr. Shadow King barely found out about that apartment, which rather frustrated him."

"Honey and Mori were forced to stay behind to keep the Kings from doing something they'll regret."

"So…why haven't you contacted us? Our last letter from you was dated around six years ago, you know."

Haruhi eyed the twins but stayed silent. Since she was going to meet them whether she liked it or not, she might as well wait until they were all there before she talked.

* * *

_I'm in a goddamned fancy multi-million dollar building. _Haruhi thought, as she followed the twins. Surprisingly, there was no valet waiting to take their car. After cleaning her up in the bathroom with the modesty and politeness of model gentlemen, Hikaru and Kaoru had quickly led her up a staircase, down a hall, around a corner, and further down the hall before grabbing the door knobs of a the modesty and politeness of model gentlemenpair of French doors. She barely recollected herself, before she felt two large and warm hands on her back non-gently pushing her into the room. Surprised, Haruhi wasn't prepared and braced herself for her crash. Long arms quickly encircled her body and pressed her against a solid masculine body.

A familiar voice, that had a stronger French accent than she remembered, struck through the air. "I thought I told you not do to that, you demonic duo!"

"We forgot," claimed the twins innocently.

One of them said, "She's here isn't she?"

Ignoring the sputtering of the first voice, Haruhi firmly removed their hands from her body. Taking a deep breath, she looked around the room.

On the floor, there was a Persian rug covering nearly the entire floor, and the walls were covered with crème wallpaper. Near Haruhi, there was a glass table. On the other side of that table was a black chair, where a man in a suit was seated with a laptop on the table. No matter how many years pass, _Ootori, Kyoya_, would never be unforgettable. He looked at her with a hard and strange glint in his eyes. To her surprise, Haruhi felt a shiver rise along her back. As his lips quirked into a small smirk, her first reaction was to fight the urge to take a step back.

The soft, hesitant voice behind her caught her attention, "Haruhi?"

She turned around. There was a tall man with blond hair in front of her. He had a slim, but muscled body that was covered with a white shirt and dark pants. Once she looked into his eyes, her heart thudded strangely in her chest. _Suoh, Tamaki; _her first crush, boyfriend, and lover… Perhaps before she met _them_, she would have felt a vindictive glee upon spotting the doubts in his eyes. Now, all she only felt melancholy reside in her heart.

"What?" Of course, he didn't need to know what was in her heart. Not, anymore.

Tamaki didn't know where to start. A wry smile crossed her face as she looked up at him. Some things never change.

Kyoya's voice smoothly cut through the silence. "Perhaps, Hikaru and Kaoru could get Mori and Honey."

"No…we're here."

Haruhi watched as the tallest man she had ever met entered the room with the admittedly cutest man she had ever befriended. Everyone welcome _Morinozuka, Takashi "Mori"_ and _Haninozuka, Mitsukuni "Honey"_, Haruhi thought noticed that Honey didn't carry his pink bunny in his arms.

They stopped near the twins, and Haruhi realized that they had roughly circled around her. She took a step back and her hands felt the smooth wall behind her.

"I suppose you want to talk about my lack of communication," said Haruhi, neutrality coloring her tone.

Her dark eyes looked at each of their faces, and they seemed to become luminous in the evening light that managed to escape the curtains while the lights were off.

"I would like to know why."

It was the normally calm younger Hitachiin, who exploded.

"We care about you, Haruhi! How can you even think that we wouldn't wonder about you? You're one of our best friends. And best friends worry about each other."

"We're in our twenties. It's childish to believe that people won't change," said Haruhi dryly. "I don't think we could classify ourselves as best friends now."

"Does this mean, Haru's not our friends now?" questioned Honey with bright eyes.

Haruhi crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. Over the years, she had found her hair to be a minor comfort. She blew a few strands away from her eyes, before she answered.

"We're distant friends. We haven't talked in a while, but…" Haruhi shrugged. "It doesn't mean that I forgot about you."

Tamaki hesitated, "Why didn't you reply back to me about the reunion? I was extremely worried."

"I was busy." Haruhi looked at them.

"We were all busy, but we were able to keep tract of each other. We've lost contact with you since six years ago." Kyoya stated calmly. "Even with your studies, loans, and savings, it would have been easy to make a call, write letters, or send messages through the computer or text messaging. The point remains that you didn't. Therefore, you chose to not say anything towards us for the last six years, except for the brief New Year cards."

Haruhi bit her tongue as Kyoya's words bristled against her skin. It was uncomfortable to say the least.

"Now, perhaps you would be willing to enlighten us why you chose to not talk?" Kyoya smiled, and Haruhi had the sense to understand that she had royally pissed off Kyoya.

"I would like time to make my decision." Haruhi held up a hand to forestall the arguments that were going to spill out of the twins and Tamaki's mouths. "Remember, I do not know you very well now. I would like to reacquaint myself with you."

"Of course; it will be a pleasure," said Kyoya. "Especially, considering that you will reveal to us the truth soon."

"Actually, I might need some more time."

"I see."

Haruhi coughed to disguise the nervous giggle that escaped her. She had rarely challenged Kyoya and even now he was intimidating.

"Well, it is reasonable to request a considerable amount of time." Kyoyle nodded. "To ensure you learn everything about us, why don't you stay here for the next several days? Tamaki had me reschedule my appointments and apparently I am now on vacation."

"Yeah; Takashi and I earned some free time after our recent collaboration." Honey said excitedly, "It'd be fun to show you our results."

The twins exchanged glances, but Hikaru said. "We were actually going to use this time for inspiration towards our new line, so we might as well go back down memory lane and see what we can find."

"You are in my house," said Tamaki amused. "I have time."

Kyoya looked at Haruhi, "Any objections?"

"I have a roommate and I live nearby, so it's really not an issue if I go back to my apartment," argued Haruhi. "I don't even have my things."

Hikaru started, "Your roommate Mei…"

"…is preoccupied right now," finished Kaoru.

"Her name was spotted in an upcoming fashion show…"

"…she'll be busy."

"Surely, you don't want to disturb her." The twins chorused. "Besides, we're always prepared to help you."

Haruhi pursed her lips. It was true that Mei had a fashion show. The kids were still in camp. She could use this time to learn about them and determine whether they were ready to hear the news. Plus, they were going to provide her with free things and thus indirectly decrease her money costs this month…

"Is this arrangement satisfactory?"

Haruhi looked at her high school friends and she felt her lips curve. She had missed themeven Tamaki, after all. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to stay for a week. Well, truthfully it'd be dangerous but she was up for a challenge. Life was rather boring without the hosts from Ouran High School Host Club in her life.

"It's fine."


End file.
